This weekend, the balance of the 2018 Army Black Knights football recruiting class will be making their way onto the campus of West Point.
However, this group’s first stop in their destination will be the United States Military Academy Prep School, that is also housed on the property of the academy itself.
We could have selected any one of these players to report on and there would be an impressive story behind their journey to the academy. However, we decided to briefly share the story of quarterback commit, Hajj Malik Williams out of Atlanta, Georgia.
But when you speak about Williams, then you have to bring up his mother,
Veverly Griffin, who has been an integral part of the player’s development as a young man ... on and especially off the field.
So, what are the mom’s anticipated feelings relative to saying the final goodbyes as she drops her son off to the academy?
“{Chuckles} I don’t even know how to really describe it,” shared Veverly Griffin. “Of course there is an overwhelming sense of pride. Hajj has worked his whole life to stand apart from everybody else and his work ethic is unlike anything I have ever seen before.”
“I am extremely proud, but I’m anxious and I know that my life is going to change on Saturday when we get to New York and of course on Monday when head back without him and I haven’t quite figured out how I am going to get back on that airplane without my son {laughing}.”
“I was talking to someone and I said that my bad news is actually good news,” added Veverly. “The bad news is that my son is leaving, but the good news is that he is going to West Point.”
For Veverly Griffin, the past 16 years the journey is where she has operated her home and raised her son and daughter as a single mother ... albeit over the past two years, she has been married to Eric Griffin
Along with her son, Hajj, there is also her daughter, Ayzhah Williams who will be graduating high school early (as a junior) class of 2019 with an AS in Biology. She hopes to attend Howard University and go on to become a doctor,” Veverly shared with GoBlackKnights.com.
Mother’s Impact
"She had a great impact, along with my dad.” stated Hajj-Malik, when speaking about his mother. “She kept me in sports and they both did a great job with me, although they were separated. My mom kept on me, particularly with my grades.”
But Veverly Griffin will not be the only parent or family member experiencing some level of emotions come this weekend, because the 2018 class is made up of so many solid student-athletes ... and here they are.
These are incoming players and our GBK “projected” positions for the players. Obviously this means nothing until they strap them up and some guys will probably switch positions ... but this is our present list (alphabetical order).
2018 USMAPS OFFENSE
Left Tackle
- Jordan Baeza
Left Guard
Center
Right Guard
Right Tackle
Quarterback
B-Back
Slotback
- Nathaniel Larkins
- Veche Daniyan
Wide Receiver
- Trey Bartlett
Tight-End
- Cameron Lambeth
- Alex Okonkwo
Punter
Kicker
- Matteo Cordray
2018 USMAPS DEFENSE
Tackle
Nose
End
- Scott Seeker
Rush LB
Will LB
- Yousef Koborsi
Mike LB
Sam LB
- Nathaniel Smith
- Josh Thombleson
Cornerback
Safety
- Elijah Boyd
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